Vacation Destination: Cape San Blas, FL, with Video Tours

Cape San Blas is located on the panhandle region of Florida. If you look at a map of the state, you’ll see a point that juts down from the panhandle into the Gulf of Mexico. From the tip of that point, you’ll see a narrow cape. That’s the place!

The Cape brings to mind the words of Coleridge: “Water, water everywhere…” Heading out to the end of the Cape, the Gulf is on your left, and St. Joseph Bay is on your right. At the point, you can snorkel in the bay and simply walk across the road to get to the Gulf beach.

The Cape is a wonderful vacation destination for families. It’s totally laid back, with no high rises, no traffic, no shopping malls, and no fast-food restaurants. If you want a real back-to-nature experience, this is it. You can spend your time sunning, swimming, shelling, fishing, cycling, and just relaxing in the clear water or on the white sand. Cape San Blas was named the #1 beach in the US by Dr. Beach a couple of years ago!

The Bay is reputedly one of the clearest bodies of water in the world. It’s calm and shallow, and it’s a great place for snorkeling. Because of the grassy flats, marine life of all sorts is abundant. There’s no telling what you might see – crabs, seahorses, large whelks, rays, sea turtles, dolphins, parrotfish, and manatees.

In July, the Bay comes alive with scallopers. The delicious little bivavles are found throughout much of the Bay, especially near the south end. Scalloping is a wonderful way to enjoy the Bay and to gather your dinner at the same time. You can book passage on a scalloping boat or rent one and be your own guide. You can also rent a family-size pontoon boat to explore the Bay for a full or half day.

Fishing in the Bay and in the Gulf is a rewarding pastime. The fertile inshore waters are home to flounder, redfish, seatrout, black drum, sheepshead, tripletail, sharks, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and ladyfish. Nearshore angling near the Cape produces some exciting tarpon fishing action. Offshore trolling will hook you up with dolphinfish, wahoo, cobia, and king mackerel. Bottom fishing offshore will produce catches of grouper and snapper.

Bird watching is another interesting activity enjoyed by Cape visitors. Over 240 bird species have been spied here, including songbirds, shore birds, wading birds, and waterfowl.

If you’re into horseback riding, there are stables nearby. Just call ahead to make reservations.

The Cape has not yet become commercialized, so you’ll find only a couple of restaurants there. No problem – just make the scenic drive around the Bay to Port St. Joe, where you’ll find numerous eateries. One place you have to try is the Indian Pass Oyster Bar, located a few miles east of the cape. This place is legendary! It’s in an old trading post with peeling paint and old gas pumps outside, and it’s ultra casual. Grab a drink out of the cooler, seat yourself, and enjoy the freshest oysters imaginable!

As for lodging on the Cape, you’ll have plenty of choices: private beachfront homes, oceanfront condos, seaside cottages, and luxurious villas. There are also vacation rentals on the Bay. At St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, you can rent a bayside cabin or camp. The campground is amazing! Deer are everywhere – if you’re not careful, you’ll literally trip over one on your way to the camp restrooms in the middle of the night!

We’ve enjoyed several family vacations at Cape San Blas, and we’ve never been disappointed. I suggest doing some comparison shopping for rental rates, and to book early, also. Another tip? Take some groceries and supplies with you, or drive to Port St. Joe to the Piggly Wiggly to make your purchases. In addition, be sure to take some board games, a deck of cards, and some good books. Nightlife on the Cape is pretty much nonexistent!